People Are Putting Their Makeup Brushes In The Washing Machine—Here's What Experts Say

If we're honest, most of us have made a habit of neglecting our makeup brushes. Day after day you load them up with concealers and foundations and use them to dust on your face powders and eyeshadows, but how often are you truly giving them the deep clean and TLC they deserve? While you may feel tempted to just throw them into the laundry out of convenience (as seen on TikTok), our pros in the Good Housekeeping Institute say that there are a few better ways to ensure your brushes are properly cleaned.

"Regardless of whether the brushes are in a mesh bag or run on a delicates cycle, a washing machine's agitation or tumbling action can damage and bend a makeup brush's bristles," says GH Home Care & Cleaning Lab Reviews Analyst Noah Pinsonnault. "On top of that, submerging a brush in water can loosen the glue that holds the bristles to the handle. For brushes with wooden handles, being submerged in water can cause them to crack or split. Foundation is also a particularly hard stain to remove, and putting dirty brushes in the same machine with clothing, towels, or bedding could potentially cause makeup stains, especially if the brush heads make direct contact with the fabric."

GH Beauty & Personal Care Lab Senior Chemist Danusia Wnek agrees. "I would advise not to clean makeup brushes in the washing machine," she says. Instead, she recommends a gentler, more hands-on approach. "I often suggest hand washing with warm water and a makeup brush cleanser or a gentle cleanser," she says.

That said, if you're still searching for the most effective and efficient way to give your brushes a deep-cleaning, here's what you need to know:

How often should I clean my makeup brushes?

"Ideally, the brushes should be cleaned every time you use them but that may be a real challenge for most of us," says GH Beauty Lab Director Sabina Wizemann. Here's what you can get away with:

• For brushes used with powders: 1-2 times a week. "Once or twice a week is probably adequate for brushes used for powder makeup such as blushes and bronzers," Wizemann says.
• For brushes used with liquids or creams: Daily. For liquid foundations, concealers, and eyeshadows, these "should be cleaned daily as they are more prone to harbor bacteria that can potentially cause infections," says Wizemann.
• For sponges: Daily. As far as cleaning your makeup sponge and Beautyblender, it "should be washed after every use; they can harbor bacteria much easier than brushes as they are used wet and stay wet for a while after use," says Wizemann.

What should I use to wash my makeup brushes?

You have options, according to our pros:

• "Baby shampoos are widely used to clean brushes and they work really well," says Wizemann, who recommends these gentle formulas especially for cleaning natural fiber brushes.
• "Ivory soap takes liquid makeup off brushes quite well," says Wizemann. Use it to break down these heavier formulas.
• Dawn dish soap is great for deep cleaning makeup sponges and Beautyblenders to quickly emulsify oil-based foundations and concealers.
• Makeup brush cleansers specifically made for cleaning makeup brushes. Our pro favorites are EcoTools Makeup Brush Shampoo, Real Techniques Brush Cleaner, and French Nerds Nerdiest Brush Cleanser.
• Textured cleansing mats "that fit in the palm of your hand are easy to use," says Wizemann. "Small mats that come with cleaning soap are perfect: They are adequate to do the job well and require no additional storage."

While household products like olive oil and vinegar are often mentioned as solutions for brush cleaning, it's best to keep those in the kitchen, says Wizemann.

How do I clean my makeup brush?

Now that you have the information and tools to get the job done, here's a step-by-step guide to cleaning your makeup brushes: